Japanese Steel; A new beginning
Witnessing the birth of the next generation of artisan framebuilders.

City Slickers
Our ten top products with style and distinction for the urban cyclist.

Road Warriors
Ten essentials for the committed racer with a superior sense of sartorial elegance.

DSC x Saffron
A stunning British collaboration for Bespoked 2014.

Issue #1 April/May 2014

Kinoko Cycles opened its doors in May 2013.
Our goal being to celebrate what we love and to share our passion.
We seek out brands from around the world; from handmade specialists
to technical masters. Always looking for something fresh.
Within the Kinoko family there are fanatics, racers, story tellers and
some whose obsession for custom cycles verges on an illness. We are
linked by our passion, ultimately defining us as individuals.
The Kinoko Journal is a platform to share what we do. Behind every great product is a great story.
This journal has been bubbling under the surface since we opened, leaking out in occasional blog
posts and Instagram photos. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to finally put it all together into a physical lasting format.
So, here it is! We hope you enjoy our first edition of The Journal.

3

Independent Fabrication

Independent
Fabrication
Words by Andrew Hartwell

W

e are long time fans of Independent
Fabrication here at Kinoko Cycles.
Of all the modern US based frame
builders we really feel they offer the best
design, best workmanship and best finish that
money can buy and this assurance of quality
has really propelled Indy Fab to its current
iconic status in the world of custom bikes.
From humble beginnings in the fall
out from the collapse of Fat City Cycles in
1994, Independent Fabrication has grown
to be one of the most respected premium
frame builders and is still employee owned.
Moving at their own pace they introduced
the Steel Crown Jewel, their first road

model, in 1996 along with their Steel Planet
Cross and the Roadster. Their entry into the
ever growing road market was a success
and they introduced the legendary Club
Racer in ‘99 before moving into the world
of titanium and developing shot peening
for ti frames in 2000 with the Ti Crown
Jewel. The XS, combining ti and carbon
tubing, was introduced in 2005 and that’s
when the accolades started coming in,
Indy Fab being recognised for their unique
vision and superior craftsmanship.
The innovative Corvid won the 2009
North American Handmade Bicycle
Show category for ‘Best Carbon Bike’,
the judges charmed by their full custom
carbon lugged frame with its classic
looks and modern materials. The Factory

Photograph by Bobby Whittaker

4

Issue #1 April/May 2014

Photographs by John Jackson and Chris Milliman

Lightweight followed in 2010, pushing modern steel
to its limits with the lightest Indy Fab frame ever.
Small town New Hampshire seems like an unlikely home for
such a world class brand, but maybe this more rural location,
away from the hype, commerce and trends of the East and
West coasts helps keep Indy Fab special, allowing it to think
independently and focus more closely on the end product.
“IF is a great place to work. We’re a small family of sorts.”
Said Chris Dornbach, one of the designers. “There are 8 of us
here on a daily basis. Enough to keep things interesting but small
enough to keep a close group. Pranks, beers, bikes and food...
and the occasional good hearted teasing like any good family.”
Being a relatively small operation for such a renowned name,
everyone carries out a certain amount of multi tasking. “I mostly
work with shops and directly with clients, “ said Chris. “Any R&D
for new models etc. is typically a family affair. We all weigh in
when it comes to the big stuff.” With some of the day taken up
by working on design for new clients, there is also a lot of email
generated by the custom process, as well as strict attention to
quality control at every step. I asked Chris if he felt innovation
was a key part of the Indy Fab brand: “I don’t think innovation
is huge for us in terms of production. We’re more focused on
staying current with new technologies and materials but try to
avoid trends and fads... at least on a larger scale, for us anyway.”
To this end, all Indy Fab frames do have something of
the classic about them, all are tried and true geometries and
all built with meticulous precision and the finest materials. I
wondered if Chris is ever asked to work on something less
classic by clients, what kind of demands they make?
“All the time! Wonder bikes that can fly a colony of
endangered turtles to the moon while cooking poached eggs...
and that make any rider look good while doing it. The last
part is the easy one.” Dornbach explains further: “Seriously,
most people want bikes to do too many things; Light weight,
touring bike, gravel road, single track mud loving rocket ship
that can race Cyclocross in the Fall, and that can be used for
the occasional Time Trial. Too many masters. In these cases, I
always advocate that they at least pick one thing they want the
bike to do well... then see what we can do about the rest.”

This approach serves the brand well and their line offers
a frame for pretty much anything, all with customisable
options within that frame concept. So while no turtle
transporter space bikes are currently planned, Chris and his
colleagues are remaining grounded and yet still looking to
the future: “Independent Fabrication has strong ties to, and
a great appreciation for, our heritage. With respect for our
past, we strive to continue making the same sweet frames
that put us on the map while at the same time we like to
keep an eye on the horizon. That’s in our blood as well.”
• END

Yesterday’s
Brand New
Take what you want from
cycling; for most it’s the
joy of riding, for some
it’s just the bike and for a
select few it’s the design.
Or take all three. The golden
age of catalogues is long
gone. Most of us involved
in putting this journal
together won’t be able
to remember when most
of these catalogues were
published. This only adds
to our amazement when we
open old paper treasures
and see our prized vintage
parts were once brand new
and labelled as the ‘leading
edge of technology’.

14

Paint it Black

Paint it Black
Smooth as butter, feather light and fast as hell.

Words by Jess Duffy
Photos by Bobby Whittaker

T

he CA AD10 is the pinnacle of Cannondale's long
and fruitful relationship with aluminium. While some
riders believe that carbon is the only modern, race
worthy frame material - the ‘10 will have you thinking twice!
Weighing in at just 1150 grams, the CA AD10 frame
is lighter than many of it’s elite carbon competitors.
The hydroformed 6069 aluminium tubes are double-pass
welded, heat treated and taper-butted to reduce weight
whilst increasing strength. The flattened shape and
internal butting of the SPEED SAVE seat and chain stays
allow enough flex vertically to minimise road buzz whilst
remaining as stiff as possible laterally and torsionally.
This aids the rear wheel in tracking the ground, improving
cornering, grip and speed. Up front, the ‘10 comes with

a full carbon SPEED SAVE tapered fork with offset
dropouts which provides the ideal combination of weight,
stiffness and compliance that won’t affect the handling.
With geometry that’s virtually identical to the SuperSix
EVO (which has propelled riders like Sagan, Viviani and
Basso to Pro Tour success) allowing for aggressive
positioning and super sharp cornering, this frame is ideal
for competitive club riding and fast crit circuits.
The durability and lower cost of an aluminium frame
compared to their carbon competition makes them perfect
low risk race machines. The matt black frame with subtle
decals comes in at just £799 which leaves you plenty of
change in your pocket to invest in some reliable componentry.
So if you’re looking to base a stealthy road build around a
high performance frame, this is definitely the way to do it!
Lighter, stiffer, stronger - simply the world’s
finest aluminium road racing thoroughbred. •

Issue #1 April/May 2014

Tread
An unhealthy infatuation with bicycle based patterns.

Words by Blam
Photos by Dom Moore

I

n late 2011 we approached design studio Intercity
about doing a series of bicycle-themed prints to
complement a BMX book they had just published.
Intercity liked the idea but didn't want to come up with an
obvious solution and, not being the type of company to rush
at a problem, we left them to take their time and develop
ideas for this series of prints. We were very surprised with
what Intercity finally delivered, as it wasn't at all what we
were expecting. It's always an absolute pleasure working
with designers when they explode your expectations by
completely re-inventing the wheel [excuse the pun].
Intercity is a graphic design studio with an international
network of clients and collaborators from the worlds of art,
design, photography, illustration, digital media and beyond.

The studio applies its considered and highly creative
approach across a range of areas including editorial,
music, branding, fashion and advertising.
Designed by William Hibberd, the Tread print
series was born out of an obsession with bikes (plus
early memories of friends comparing tyre patterns) and
documents a selection of the most interesting graphic
shapes and patterns found on everyday bicycle tyres.
Building upon the already close-knit relationship
between cycling and graphic design, the series
includes four prints in total, covering the disciplines
of BMX, CX (cyclo-cross), MTB (mountain bike) and
road cycling. Available to purchase in A0, A1 (shown)
and A2 formats from Printâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Process.com. â&#x20AC;˘

15

16

Image Caption

Japanese Steel; A new beginning

Issue #1 April/May 2014

Japanese
Steel; A new
beginning
During my last trip to Japan
I was invited by Shin Ichi Konno
of Cherubim Cycles to visit the
Tokyo School of Cycle Design
where he teaches twice weekly.

Words and Photos by Max Lewis

Y

ou would assume with something as common as a bicycle, an object
which exists in every village and town across the globe and requires
very specific skills to design and manufacture, that colleges teaching
cycle design would be common, but this is not the case. In fact the Tokyo
School of Cycle Design is a world first. Certainly frame building and mechanics
schools do exist, often offering courses which last one to two weeks, but
the TSCD course duration is two to three years. Students study everything
from mechanics to cycle design with a strong emphasis on frame building.

17

18

Japanese Steel; A new beginning

I left my tour of the school with my jaw on the floor.
Although all teachers in TSCD come from the cycle industry the
school was founded by the Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery.
Their campuses are situated in the heart of Tokyo's most
fashionable Shibuya district in modern buildings purpose built
for the school. Its a alluring place to be. The school was filled
with the sounds of grinding and whirring and the courtyard
was filled with students bending metal with blow torches and
hammers. I walked past glass walled classrooms full of students
stitching shoes and buffing jewellery. On the top floor frame
building is taught. The classroom has about 15 jigs all with
welding facilities. At a glance it looks like a factory but look
closer and you'll see pencil cases and frames of all different
shapes and geometries. Other classrooms are devoted to
bicycle design and mechanics as well a machining room on the
ground floor. I saw rooms filled with Park Tools professional
mobile tool kits, each student has their own. I sat in on a class
on rim design, one of many I would hope, and saw their school
shop which sells Nitto quill stems, Mizuno tools and a galaxy
of frame building materials. Yes, my jaw was on the floor.
As I walked through school one question grew in my mind.
What will happen to these frame builders when they graduate?
They will leave the school with more than enough experience to
build professional quality frames. Obviously there is no straight
forward answer to this question and in reality every graduate
cannot or will not want to set up shop and start their own brands.
I am sure though that if you love hand made cycles Japan will
soon again be the place to watch and a golden age is coming.
I was able to ask course founder Rinri Mizuno a few questions:
Why did Hiko Mizuno College of Jewellery
choose to open a school of Cycle Design?
The main focus of our school is jewellery and shoes.
We not only teach our students to design but manufacture
also. We saw the similarities between making jewellery and
frame building and thought this was a good opportunity to do
something new. We saw that bicycle culture was changing
and more people are becoming interested and passionate
about frame building but there was nowhere to study the
subject. Also we have a rich culture of frame building in
Japan based on Keirin. Most people focus on the racing and
gambling but not on the frame builders who are very skilled.
I wanted pass these skills onto a younger generation.
Can you tell us about the curriculum?
We offer a two and three year course. In both courses students
will become experts in bicycle design, assembly, maintenance
and manufacturing. The three years course offers students
among many other things to explore more creative projects.

Issue #1 April/May 2014

19

How many students will graduate this year
and what are their job prospects like?
This year we saw our first 20 graduates in March from the two
year course. Most students are going into employment as bicycle
mechanics and engineers for bicycle companies. Some students
will setup shop as independent frame builders and a few will
find employment with existing frame builders. As the course is
very new the bicycle industry is very interested in our graduates.
Their level of skill is very rare with young new employees.
â&#x20AC;˘ END

20

City Slickers

City Slickers
Our ten top products with style and distinction for the urban cyclist.

his frame is handmade by Matthew Sowter of Saffron Frameworks
whose workshop is based in Camberwell, London. Matthew has been
building frames for the last 4 years. He tells us that his ambition when
building this frame was to marry comfort with a tube-set designed for racing.
Comfort comes standard with steel. So, to bring the racing element into the mix
he used oversized tubes. These bring stiffness into the bottom bracket and the head
tube whilst limiting the loss of power between the bottom bracket and the rear axle.
The tubes are Columbus Spirit HSS with Paragon breezer dropouts and an
oversized head tube. The entire frame is fillet brazed and then filed back to smoothly
integrate the tubes. The rear brake cables runs internally through the top tube.
The DI2 has runs internally from the headtube and pops out where the mechs are. â&#x20AC;˘